Effexor - is messing my day up!!

I know Effexor is pretty famous for the "brain shivers" effect when you are coming off them. But I'm not coming off them at the moment, and I've been having frequent (but fairly mild) brain shivers for the last week or so.

Do they generally give you this side effect if you've been on them for a while? I've been on them since October, so 6 months now. It seems odd that suddenly I'd be getting these side effects.

Does anyone have a similar experience to share?

Oh sorry, didn't see the post about "brain zaps" below. I prolly should have read that before I posted here!

when you stop them - do it very slowly and open the capsules to remove a little each week - otherwise you get VERY dizzy. Didn't have brain zaps though.

talk to your doc asap about this...............effexor almost killed me when i came off of it.......ask why you're having zaps now on your regular dose.........good luck, pat

I hated effexor - coming off them was hell!

maybe you should switch

I don't know what has changed since the "brain zaps" post but things are suddenly much better again. I have been on effexor for nearly 2 1/2yrs now, 375mg/day until about October when I reduced it to 300mg/day. There is NO chance of coming off it any time soon- the couple of times I have missed doses (esp when I stopped using a weekly organiser) the most major problem I experienced was a severely low mood...a great indicator that this med IS doing what it should!!! Good luck and I hope things ease up for you ASAP

The only thing I can relate with the effexor and side effects was when I forgot to take it for 2 or 3 days and I completely went bonkers. I mean, my brain would not shut up; it was like someone was just hitting the "switch" button every second on the radio. I wasn't thinking anything rational, it was just a whole bunch of noise. I don't really remember what went on that day as I just stayed in my room trying to stop myself from twitching and taking my skin off. Don't just suddenly drop off the effexor! Talk to your doctor.

(EDIT)
I just found out what "brain zaps" were from the other thread, and now I know that I've actually gone through what you have gone though. I've been on Effexor for the past few months and I had a few "brain zaps" about a week ago. I didn't know that they were from the Effexor untill just now though. I think talking to the doctor is the thing you need to do; I think I should talk to mine now, lol.

Thanks everyone. The general consensus is to ask my doc,which I will do today.

I wish I'd known what I know now, when they were prescribed to me. My doctor did tell me that they'd be difficult to come off. But I don't think I realized just what that meant.

*zap* *zap*

Just kidding ^ __^

Oh, and NightNGaleX3x - once you recognize the zaps, they're unmistakeable, aren't they? Good idea to see your doc.